Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones

It's unpolished and incomplete.

The first half of the game has a lot of interactions, good writing, combats and exploration and then once you reach the point of no return, the game abruptly ends. It's kind of sad because there are very solid foundations for an outstanding Lovecraftian rpg in there but it seems like the studio just released before they got to finish it.

I was hoping that they would update further but it's been years now and it's clearly not happening. It's a
shame really.

Edit:
The game possesses some of the best roleplaying goodness I’ve ever played, but is it dragged down by tedious, dull and unforgiving combat and somewhat unrewarding leveling up experience.
Let me tell you a bit about the character creator. You can choose the age of your starting character and that affects your physical attributes and available skill points. Young characters are at their physical peak but lack wisdom so get less experience points to invest in skills at the start, middle-aged is a balanced option of wits and brawn but masters on none, while elderly characters possess a declining physique but lots of skill points.
After that you get to choose your profession/archetype that gives you skill specialization, and the archetypes can be picked as is or be further split into 3 other sub classes that offer buffs and debuffs/different skill specialization.
Then you get to choose your belief system which rewards you every time you roleplay your character and act according to your belief. Stygian is the first ever game I’ve ever played that actually rewards you for roleplaying your character’s belief. Usually in other games there is a fake message about being rewarded/penalized for roleplaying your character and a few instances here or there that restrict player option according to your archetype, like Paladins in Icewind Dale games for example refusing mission rewards or default attacking wrongdoers instead of conversing with them in 4 or 5 instances in the game, maybe they get a special weapon or a single class quest. Or Fallout 3 characters getting a few extra dialogue options when picking the Black Widow perk.
This time around the belief system is real and only rewards you for choosing your specific approach. Humanitarian characters get rewarded for helping people in need while Esoteric belief characters get rewarded for pressuring distressed characters about their traumas to satisfy their innate curiosity and acquire new knowledge regardless of the pain they cause.
Furthermore later on in the game your character might develop mental conditions like schizophrenia that distorts their available dialogue options as their worldview becomes distorted, acting maniacal or paranoid.
But… after that, even though you get showered in XP points for collecting tidbits of information, unlocking containers, reading books and doing side quests like in Icewind Dale, the leveling up investing felt unrewarding, having to stick to a single skill and specialize for multiple levels in it to get actual meaningful perks, or being forced to invest in less appealing options to open a locked container that might uncover unique loot, acquire an option to understand and make use of an occult ritual interest point or invest in some dodge stats so your main character doesn’t get dogpiled all the time in party fights forcing you to spend all your earnings in healing items.
As mentioned before the combat is the worse part of the game and you will feel it to your very being, but the role playing elements, the countless mysteries you get to uncover, the charming art style and the interesting characters make going on this adventure worth it.

(I played this elsewhere before, about to replay it here with different skills)
Yes, credits roll just as things really kick into high gear, but it's still decently sized and - most importantly - excellent. The Cthulhu mythos is not spoiled with games (or movies, for that matter) that get it this right. It would be a shame to skip Stygian if you are a fan. The theater scene, for example, is forever etched in my memory and simply masterful.
It sounds like someone is holding up the continuation, so... another cursed mythos title then?
Stygian always sounded, and feels like, a passion project, which makes it even more tragic. I guess, continuing much later in a separate sequel would atleast allow new features, even a change in art style if they want, as long as characters can be transferred. Hopefully it can get moving soon.
If it stops here, I'm a big enough HPL fanatic to atleast appreciate that it's a pretty Lovecraftian way to go - mid-sentence.

I really enjoyed the game that was made. It pays great homage to Lovecraftian tropes, has good writing and sound design, and for the most part feels like a rich rpg. The mechanics are pretty deep and problem solving was enjoyable.
I fully recommend the game and think the content here is worth what you pay for it.
BUT people buying it need to be aware the game is not finished. The main quest line does NOT resolve and there are plenty of threads that are left untied. The designers clearly had an epic vision that would be great to see followed through but it does feel like half a game.

Stygian could do with a bit more polish, but it's still a decent execution of an outstanding concept. Had the developers kept at it a bit longer, it would be an undeniable addition to the cRPG hall of fame.

Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones is a dark, Lovecraftian RPG that throws you into a nightmarish, beautifully hand-drawn world where sanity is just as important as survival. The game blends deep role-playing mechanics with a haunting story, letting you create a character with unique traits—whether you’re a cunning occultist, a rugged soldier, or just someone slowly losing their mind.

Combat is turn-based and punishing, fitting perfectly with the game’s bleak atmosphere. Choices matter, often leading to morally gray outcomes, and sanity mechanics add another layer of tension—because in this world, sometimes going mad is the best option.

If you love cosmic horror, deep storytelling, and RPGs that don’t hold your hand, Stygian delivers an eerie and unforgettable experience. Just don’t expect a happy ending—this is Lovecraft, after all.

Such a great game to play issues in difficulty and battling sanity need balancing but the atmosphere is nailed as fulcrum seem to do with every game as a fallout style game the lack of handholding is fine with me and I look forward to finishing the game despite issues I got along with it just spells etc need a boost to inject more fun